Facing a steep steep uphill battle

[fawndog]

^ All good advice.

Depts are different, some want boy scouts, some are willing to consider life experience.

Good luck.

[Rapid Cool]

But I would NOT get desperate and work for the LAPD. Christopher Dorner get screwed by them.

I fully believe that Dorner got screwed internally by the LAPD before he went sour. I am not going to post this picture, but you can see the link- https://polination.files.wordpress.c...pg?w=500&h=280

[eta34]

LAPD is a fine agency. I know several great people there. Just like any big agency, it has its fair share of morons. Consider what you want your career path to be and find a department that can match that. Some guys like small places; others large departments with the freedom to move around.

[SoCalDep]

So Rapid... which is worse, LAPD via the ramblings of a murderer or the state via an article in a newspaper? Lol!

[esy]

calm the F down and focus on OP's actual problems. You're like that uncle at family events who always turn everything into politics.

That is the OP. Hehehe.

[BarrettM99]

Don’t ever quit. Life will throw curveballs at us all from time to time. Stay focused, stay hungry, and go for what you want. Let them tell you no. Be honest and be professional.

As others mentioned, it may be a good idea for you to undertake the academy on your own dime. It may turn out to be a wise investment. You may even want to start as a reserve officer and work your way in.

Just don’t ever quit and stay true to yourself.

[Ubermcoupe]

FYI: Stanford is hiring, and they also have a "citizens police academy" that can help you meet some of the current deputies.

[Rapid Cool]

I would NOT go outside of California. California has the POBOR and better union protection.

[Samuelx]

But I would NOT get desperate and work for the LAPD. Christopher Dorner get screwed by them.

I fully believe that Dorner got screwed internally by the LAPD before he went sour. I am not going to post this picture, but you can see the link- https://polination.files.wordpress.c...pg?w=500&h=280

You sound suspiciously like you're suggesting that that POS dorner was justified in doing what he did...

[TOM_ONE]

You sound suspiciously like you're suggesting that that POS dorner was justified in doing what he did...

He wasn't justified in doing what he did, but I 100% believe that he got ****ed by them.

Having been through what I've been through, I've actually lost a lot of respect for law enforcement. I got ****ed by one department myself. There's a lot of bull**** that comes with the LEO life.

To the OP, I've heard Calexico hires a lot of people with background problems. But that was so long ago for you, I'm not sure why that would matter to be honest. I know guys who did LSD and **** in a smaller time frame and got picked up by departments in the IE.

[Samuelx]

He wasn't justified in doing what he did, but I 100% believe that he got ****ed by them.

Just curious, what info do you have/know that leads you to believe "100%"???

I've seen both extremes - bunches of good people fuc&ed over by the department as well as bunches of people who weren't able to do the job and weren't willing to admit or face it that they couldn't...

[TOM_ONE]

Just curious, what info do you have/know that leads you to believe "100%"???

I've seen both extremes - bunches of good people fuc&ed over by the department as well as bunches of people who weren't able to do the job and weren't willing to admit or face it that they couldn't...

Based solely on what I've read, because that's all we really have at play. He reported an unreported use of force and was faced with retaliation.

Oh trust me, I've seen both as well. Plenty of guys on the department that boned me (well, it wasn't the department itself, just three guys who had some power) were good guys, and plenty should never have been officers in the first place.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

But I would NOT get desperate and work for the LAPD. Christopher Dorner get screwed by them.

[YoungGunZ]

Why don't you look for an opportunity to open a small sandwich shop or some restaurant and be your own boss.

LEO life can be separated into different jurisdictions and categories, local, county, state, Feds, patrol, custodian, investigation, IA, and other specialized fields. Each has its pros and bs and it's going to take a decade and a few agency transfers to get to a place you might be comfortable with, sometimes never.

CA local agencies have some of the highest pay and benefits in the nation, Feds also make excellent pay but is more difficult to get in. State jobs don't pay as much and mainly specialize investigation per department with no patrol jobs. Benefit cross the board has been reduced again and again everywhere and it's not what it used to be.

Some agencies have lower bars of entry but obviously for a reason and have some more pit falls. If you are willing to move to the border, border patrol with Feds is easiest to get in but the work areas and it's culture have ruined many people.

As with everything else in life, there's a pro and con to everything.